Lubricator drain



Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UHTE TTES FATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

The invention relates to a valve-like device primarily operable manually to drain a reservoir or other liquid containing chamber.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, effective structure of small size for the intended purpose which can be applied readily to a liquid container.

Another object of the invention is to maintain the normal seal of the drain eifective irrespective of the presence of dirt, pieces of metal, waste. or other material which would tend to prevent an ordinary valve from seating.

Another object of the invention is to protect the manually accessible portions of the device from accidental operation or injury due to the necessary exposure of the device to unfavorable conditions as is contemplated in the particular field of use for which the device is especially adapted.

Another object of the invention is to effect partially automatic draining of a relatively nonviscous fluid from a reservoir intended to contain a relatively viscous fluid.

These and other detailed objects of the invention are obtained by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a railway driving wheel journal lubricator device to which the present invention is applied. The lubricating device is illustrated, described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 733,229, filed June 30, 1934.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section through the drain device showing the same in its normally substantially closed position.

Figure 3 is a top view of the drain device.

I Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 2 but shows the drain in its most open position.

It will be understood that the lubricator shown in Figure 1 comp-rises an oil reservoir I and a pump 2 which is actuated by the reciprocation of the driver 3 and its journal 4 in its bearings and relative to the lubricting device to feed lubricant from the reservoir to the journal.

Obviously lubricators of this type are exposed to all varieties of weather conditions and to other unfavorable conditions such as the discharge and condensation of steam adjacent to the lubricator, the playing of hose streams upon the locomotive, and the constant eddying currents of dust and dirt from railway road beds during operation of the locomotive. It is difiicult, if not impossible, to exclude water, dust, etc., from the lubricator and obviously the presence of such foreign material interferes with the efiective functioning of the latter. By inclusion of the present drain valve structure D in the lower portion of reservoir l it is practical for inspectors or other workmen to check and eliminate the presence of water in the lubricant.

When the drain device is in the form of a separate structure applied to the reservoir, it comprises a body having an exteriorly threaded upper portion 5 and the inverted cup-shaped lower portion 6 which preferably has a hexagonal exterior to be readily gripped by a wrench to screw the device into and out of the threaded opening in the bottom wall I of reservoir l.

A central bore 8 leads from the top of portion 5 into the interior of portion 6 and a plunger 9 is slidable in bore 8 and. includes a stem l0 projecting downwardly into lower portion 6 and having a spring seating element II on its lower end. At the base of stem I0 is a downwardly facing shoulder I2, and a pin I3 through the side of the body forms a stop for shoulder l2. A spring I4 compressed between element H and the bottom of the inverted cup-like portion 6 yieldingly thrusts plunger 9 into the position shown in Figure 2. A main drain passage 15 extends from a point on the upper face of portion 5, spaced from bore 8, downwardly and inwardly, having an outlet into the lower side portion of bore 8. This outlet is normally closed by plunger 9 but may be substantially uncovered when manual pressure on element l l raises plunger 9 to the position shown in Figure 4. At such time water accumulating in the reservoir will be drained therefrom and when oil begins to flow, the operator will release element II and spring M will return the plunger to the position in which it closes the outlet of passage I5.

The device is self clearing because any foreign material in passage l5 settling against the face of plunger 5 closing the outlet of passage l5 will be scraped from the plunger when the plunger is moved upwardly, and any foreign material adhering to the lower part of the bore will be scraped downwardly therein by the plunger when the latter is returned to its normal position. The upper part of the bore is not subject to the presence of foreign material accompanying the flow of fluid, as is passage l5, and hence the substantial closure formed by the plunger in the upper part of the bore is maintained. Preferably the plunger fits the bore sufiiciently loosely to insure the free movement of the plunger, which is approximately .002 smaller than the bore. Some water will seep through between the plunger and the bore (as described in Patent No. 1,748,982, issued to me March 4, 1930) but no oil will flow through the drain at this point.

The drain device is simple and compact and may be applied to or otherwise included in any reservoir where such a drain 'is desirable and eliminates the labor and time required to unscrew an ordinary plug and the loss of oil during the attempt to replace the plug after the water has been drained. The device also eliminates the misplacement of the ordinary plug if it is laid aside while the reservoir is being completely drained.

The drain valve body structure may constitute a portion of the lower wall of the reservoir and need not involve a separately formed body as illustrated. The drain device does not project far enough below the reservoir to be objectionable and the inverted cup structure surrounding the stem and spring protects the same against blows from ballast, weeds, etc.

It will be understood that the device is not limited in its application to railway lubricators of the type referred to and that the drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention and the details thereof may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

I ciaim:

1. Means for draining a reservoir comprising an element having a bore leading downwardly from the reservoir, a plunger slidable in said bore and substantially closing the same, there being a drainage passage leading downwardly from a point spaced laterally from said plunger to an outlet into said bore which is normally closed by the side of said plunger, said plunger being movable above said outlet to uncover said outlet and permit drainage of fluid in said reservoir through said passage to below said plunger. v

2. In a reservoir draining device, a body structure having a downwardly extending bore, a plunger slidable in said bore, there being a passage leading from a point on the top of said structure spaced laterally from said bore and plunger downwardly to an outlet into said bore which is normally closed by the side of said piunger, said plunger being movable above said outlet to uncover said outlet and permit drainage of fluid in said reservoir through said passage to below said plunger.

3. In a reservoir draining device, a body structure having a downwardly extending bore, there being a passage leading from a point on the top of said structure, spaced laterally from said bore, downwardly and into the side of said bore at a point spaced substantially below said top, and a plunger with vertical sides slidable in said bore and normally closing the outlet from said passageway into said bore but movable upwardly above said outlet to uncover the latter to permit drainage of fluid in said reservoir through said passageway and the lower portion of said bore.

4. In a reservoir draining device, a body structure having a downwardly extending bore, there being a passage leading from a point on the top of said structure, spaced laterally from the entrance to said bore, downwardly and into the side of said bore, a plunger slidably fitting in said bore, spring means yieldingly holding said plunger in its lowermost position where its side closes the outlet from said passage, and an element of restricted thickness relative to said plunger projecting downwardly from said plunger below the lower end of said bore whereby the side of said plunger may be moved upwardly beyond the outlet from said passage to permit drainage of said reservoir through the latter.

5. In a reservoir draining device, a body structure having a downwardly extending bore, there being a passage leading from a point on the top of said structure, spaced from said bore, downwardly and into the side of said bore, a plunger siidable in said bore and having a downwardly facing shoulder, said plunger normally closing the outlet from said passage but being movable upwardly to uncover the same and permit draining of said reservoir therethrough, said shoulder on its downward movement wiping the surface of said bore around said passage outlet to remove dirt or like material which may be deposited on said surface.

6. In a reservoir draining device, a body structure for insertion into an opening in the bottom of a reservoir comprising an exterioriy threaded upper portion and an inverted cup-like lower portion, there being a bore leading downwardly from the upper face of said structure through said upper portion and into said inverted cup portion, there being a passage leading from a point on the upper face of said structure, spaced iaterally from said boreand plunger, downwardly and having an outlet into the side of said bore above said inverted cup-like portion, a plunger slidable in said bore and normally closing said outlet, and an element projecting downwardly from said plunger and manually accessible from the bottom of said inverted cup-like portion and surrounded and protected by the side of the latter, said plunger being movable upward by pressure on said element to clear said outlet and permit said passage to drain fluid above the device.

7. In a reservoir draining device, a body structure for insertion into an opening in the bottom of a reservoir comprising an exteriorly threaded upper portion and an inverted cup-like lower portion, there being a bore leading downwardly from the upper face of said structure through said upper portion and into said inverted cuplike portion, there being a passage leading from a point on the upper face of said structure spaced from said bore downwardly and having an outlet into the side of said bore above said inverted cuplike portion, a plunger slidable in said bore and normally closing said outletv and provided with a downwardly facing shoulder, a stem on said plunger projecting downwardly into said inverted cup-like portion and surrounded and protected by the side of the latter, a spring seated against the bottom of said inverted cup-like portion and thrusting downwardly on said stem to lower said plunger, a projection on the side of said cuplike portion below the level of said outlet and said shoulder to limit the downward movement of said plunger, said plunger being movable upwardly by pressure on said stem to clear said outlet and permit said passage to drain fluid above the device.

JAS. J. HENNESSY. 

